Yesterday whilst walking around we found a place that we could hire a motor scooter, so decided to make use of our free day and explore the island.

Once we got out of the hustle and bustle of town it was very different with lots of lush green treed areas, very tidy houses and yards, some quite large and a few mansions as well. Labuan appears to be quite a wealthy area and everyone seems to have a comfortable lifestyle.

We went across the island to the Peace Park and Surrender Point where the Japanese surrended to the Aussies in the WW2. This is situated at a lovely beach, the Peace Park is very typical Japanese style and the Surrender Point memorial was an interesting read.

A good spot for some lunch in the shade of the trees with an onshore breeze where we enjoyed some local beachside cafe food washed down with huge coconuts.

Quite a scenic ride up the coast to the top of the island where there is a museum and "The Chimney" a huge brick chimney 106 feet high and no one knows it's purpose! There has been coal mining in years gone by but there has been nothing to indicate that the chimney was related to the mine - seems more of a British status symbol than anything purposeful.

Continued on around the island and stopped at the war cemetery, many soldiers that died in other parts of Borneo are also buried here, including many POWs from the Santakan area as well.

Next over to the opposite side of the harbour behind the water village that we are anchored near to go through all the industrial area. Wheat and flour mills, gas and oil plants, shipyards, metal yards, huge modern factories and buildings.

We could see a huge highrise building towering above the trees, so off in its direction to find out what it is. It is The University of Malaysia, identical to the uni building in Kota Kinabalu, area a huge complex and not far from the beach where there is a large beachside pavilion with many cafe's. We stopped to rehydrate ourselves with ABC's, we seemed a bit out of place amongst all the uni students.

The beach near the peace park seemed the nicest place for a swim, we headed back there and cooled off in the tepid water as the sun was going down. The park was full of people having bbqs, picnics, fishing, swimming and having a good time quite different from when we'd been there earlier around midday almost had the area to ourselves then.

It had been an interesting day and gave us quite a different perspective of Labuan.